This invention is a means of reduction of NOx, CO, CO2 & SOx waste gases. This is done with doped semiconductors such as silicon doped with phosphorus to produce a n-type or negative semiconductor. Silicon doped with boron would produce a positive semiconductor. These would be used as plates to produce an electricfield, with the use of an applied direct current. The binding together of n-type and p-type will produce a photovoltaic device. This a conventional process. But the use of two of the device as plates for an electricfield for chemical reduction process is not.
There have been several ways to reduce waste gas proposed in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,211 to Ray discloses the electrochemical reduction of CO2 and/or CO to hydrocarbons utilizing a solid hydrogen ion conducting polymer electrolyte. U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,964 to Gordon et al. discloses a multi-phase electrode which include a fluid electrolyte a gaseous layer and a porous body separating the two. These electrodes further incorporate platinum or porphoryns, and are useful for the reduction process in the presence of hydrogen.